Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2011/08/29/the_box_popups_in_la_potentially_expanding_here_too.php
Ducru Beaucaillou Duhart Milon Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Deal Alert: $35 for $70 from Wine.com
Quick one for you today:
Eversave is offering $70 worth of wine from Wine.com for $35
Note that as with previous offers they've run, the voucher cannot be applied towards shipping nor tax. On the positive side of things, wine.com can ship to Massachusetts -and- we don't have tax on alcohol here.
To amortize the cost of shipping across more purchases I bought their Steward Ship program last year. It's kind of like Amazon Prime where you pay once for all your shipping for the year. They ran a special on it for $25 last year and the shipping can be extended to gifts as well.
Hit the comments below to share some tips on the best deals they have right now. I went for 2 bottles of the 2008 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir for $34.99/btl. More on that wine in this California v. Oregon Pinot Noir showdown.
Offer ends Friday June 17th, 2011.
Eversave is offering $70 worth of wine from Wine.com for $35
Note that as with previous offers they've run, the voucher cannot be applied towards shipping nor tax. On the positive side of things, wine.com can ship to Massachusetts -and- we don't have tax on alcohol here.
To amortize the cost of shipping across more purchases I bought their Steward Ship program last year. It's kind of like Amazon Prime where you pay once for all your shipping for the year. They ran a special on it for $25 last year and the shipping can be extended to gifts as well.
Hit the comments below to share some tips on the best deals they have right now. I went for 2 bottles of the 2008 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir for $34.99/btl. More on that wine in this California v. Oregon Pinot Noir showdown.
Offer ends Friday June 17th, 2011.
Canon la Gaffeliere Cantemerle Cantenac Brown Carillon d\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Angelus Caronne Ste Gemme
Wine Blogging Wednesday #70: 2009 Bodega Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros Garnacha
Gabriella and Ryan’s post inspiring wine bloggers to get creative and seek out a unique Spanish wine or one from an unheard of region for the comeback edition of New York Cork Report Executive Editor Lenn Thompson’s Wine Blogging Wednesday, fueled my determination to get my hands on a bottle or two that would expand [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/wine-blogging-wednesday-70/
Beaumont Beausejour Becot Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse Bel Air Lalande de Pomerol Belair
Escaping the Napa Valley Crowds
Another frequently received email to WineCountryGetaways.com asks: ?How can I avoid the crowds when we visit the Napa Valley?? Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/escaping-the-napa-valley-crowds/
Cabernet Sauvinon Wine and Cheese Wine Rack French Wine Wine Making
Some Recent Michigan Wines with the Friday Night Regulars
Last week, I decided that it was high time to try some Michigan wines with the Friday night tasting group at the retail outlet in which I am gainfully employed. The bulk of the selections were from the 2 Lads Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula. Cornel Olivier and Chris Baldyga have established an impressive [...]
La Tour Martillac Labegorce Zede Lafite Rothschild Lafleur Lafleur Gazin Pomerol
Choose My Glass
Our good friends at Gourmet Underground Detroit just may be on to something!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/TA50qqCDiMU/choose-my-glass
De Chevalier De Fieuzal De l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Eglise De Pez De Sales
Wine Event Announces Winners
The winners of the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced June 10 at a media roll-out in Los Angeles. Find the winners here.
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=110
Cabernet Sauvinon Wine and Cheese Wine Rack French Wine Wine Making
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Trend Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Devil’s Cut
I’m a sucker for the clever and unconventional, I admit it. One such bit of cleverness isn’t even wine-related, though it is oak barrel related.
Most wine enthusiasts are familiar with the, “Angel’s Share.” It’s a term that denotes the wine (or spirits) that is lost from a barrel due to evaporation during the aging process. Now comes the, “Devil’s Cut” from Jim Beam.
Using a proprietary process that extracts the bourbon moisture that’s left in the staves of the barrel after being emptied, this extract is then blended with regular Jim Bream to create a deeper, more characterful sipper.
I’d hate to think what a wine might taste like if the, “Devil’s Cut” was blended in from a wine-aged oak barrel, but a thumb’s up to Jim Beam for thinking outside the box. The wine world could use more esoteric and idiosyncratic ideas similar to what the Scholium Project is doing, turning wine on its head. Can a day be too far away when white Pinot Noir and orange wines aren’t outliers?
Speaking of Idiosyncratic
Last year I wrote a story on Proof Wine Collective and their out-of-the-box wine label design work. An edgy company of twenty-something’s in San Luis Obispo, they’re set to eschew a services-oriented business helping market other people’s wine projects and start their own wine thing.
Anti-wine by the guys at Proof sets the table for what’s to come with an Anti-wine Manifesto that says in part, “I can hear the death rattle of our industry when salespeople peddle wines made and re-made in the same style, over and over. I hear it when they glorify classism, pretending that customers own a cellar to age wines for decades, when in truth we buy a bottle to drink tonight…My goal with this project is to be free from the affectations of an industry I can no longer respect. These wines follow no formulae (Ed. Note: Nice use of the plural of formula!). They are blended between vintages in order to take the best traits of each. I regard red and white varietals as equals, and intermix them with no interest in what is “sellable.”
I like idea, for sure. However, initial reverberations indicate that they’re going to have to do some traditional-type activity in the wine business to get solid footing. Sales at retail. Wine events.
If a nascent wine brand truly wants to be free from the affectations of the industry and do so without being shticky then it has to be prepared to swim completely against the current.
I’m rooting for Anti-wine, but I’d also like to see a completely new playbook written for the wine business, not a statement of intent while coloring inside the lines.
Tastevin
I’ve read a couple of recent articles that indicate that watches are set to become a trend (here and here). This struck me as odd because I hadn’t received the memo that watches were out of style. I started to think about accessories for wine enthusiasts that are decidedly out of style and I came to the tastevin.
Traditionally used by Sommeliers, but long out of favor, the only reason I know it’s not a mythical unicorn, is because a Somm. at my honeymoon resort some years ago was wearing one and checking the quality of the bottles he was serving by taking a quick sniff and slurp.
Now inspired, I’m starting a one-man wine trend. If you see me at a wine tasting in the future it’s probable that I’ll be using a tastevin instead of the insipid glassware that’s usually provided.
Feel free to adopt usage of a tastevin for yourself. The key to not feeling douchey is to either be incredibly confident or so hip that others don’t even know its hip. Either will work for this emerging trend that you and I are starting. Buy one at Amazon.com.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_trend_edition/
Laville Haut Brion Le Gay Le Moulin Le Moulin Pomerol Le Petit Cheval
Limited Releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State?s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle?s vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, all of their white wines are [...]
Limited Releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/vZgK-wfnc9M/
Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere Feytit Clinet Figeac
Hotel32 - Top 8 Reasons Why I Loved It
I was going to try and come up with 32 reasons you should stay at Hotel32.
I am sure there are those many reasons and more, but I will give you my Top 8 (it is a factorial of 32).
1. Joel and JoseHaving your very own concierge service is beyond. All the assistants were so personable
and [...]
I am sure there are those many reasons and more, but I will give you my Top 8 (it is a factorial of 32).
1. Joel and JoseHaving your very own concierge service is beyond. All the assistants were so personable
and [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/gY-JOMNTk60/
Climens Clinet Clos Cantenac Clos de l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Oratoire Clos de Sarpe
Perfection in a Bottle?
In the rolling hills of Tuscany the Frescobaldi family has been making wine for 30 generations and some 700 years. Yet, it was only in 1995, when the family aligned with the Mondavi’s, America’s first wine family, that a cross-continental collaboration was borne in Montalcino, an area within the Tuscan region famous for its Brunello, a 100% Sangiovese wine.
Luce della Vite, meaning “Light of the Vine,” is the resulting winery even as gyrations in the Mondavi family business have blunted the initial collaboration of the two families in jointly creating a world class winery. Now run exclusively by the Frescobaldi’s with investment from Michael Mondavi (and imported to the U.S. by Michael Mondavi’s Folio Wine Partners), their flagship wine, sourced from 29 DOCG certified acres, the 2006 Brunello di Montalcino, has been awarded a perfect 100-point score by James Suckling, former European Bureau Chief for Wine Spectator, now leading his own wine project at his eponymous web site.
This introduction would be apropos of nothing besides ornate wine writer affectations were it not necessary to create the milieu for what is an interesting convergence of issues in the wine world.
Encapsulated in this one wine, from an Italian wine family, formerly aligned with the scion of American wine and imported to the U.S. by his son and given a perfect 100-point score by a former critic with the Wine Spectator, many of the contemporary issues of the wine world can be examined and pondered…
Consider:
• A 100-point score
Is there such a thing as a perfect wine? I’ll leave the question open-ended while noting that my own scoring only goes to 99. In the realm of subjectivity, can something like wine or art achieve perfection?
• The fallibility of wine criticism
Stephen Tanzer, another notable wine critic, gave the same wine 92 points. Wine Enthusiast scored it 93 points. Robert Parker’s Italian wine critic (and recently anointed California reviewer), Antonio Galloni, gave it a 90. While a 90, 92 or 93 is a good score, the difference between a 93 and a 100 certainly points to a margin spread that provides more questions than answers about the wine.
• Crossing the digital divide
Suckling, ex-Wine Spectator, is out of the paper magazine business and running his own web site with subscriptions, a business that is less than a year old. He has lived in Tuscany for a number of years and knows Brunello wines well. However, anointing 100-point wines isn’t something critics do lightly or without thought. So, when he declares that, “The 2006 vintage for Brunello di Montalcino is the new benchmark…” is he genuinely reviewing the vintage and the region’s most notable vintner or is this his attempt at market-making relevance akin to Robert Parker Jr.’s declaration of ’82 Bordeaux as “superb” when others weren’t as bullish?
• Critical scores affect on inelastic pricing
While so-called “cult” wines get a bad rap based on their stylistic profile, the reality is that prices are high because of scarcity – more people want to buy it then there is wine available to buy. Suckling’s 100-point score for the Luce Brunello is oft-repeated on numerous retailer web sites where the retail price has been raised from a suggested retail price of $89.99 to an average price of $127 based on Wine-Searcher.com data. Meanwhile, the 2005 Luce Brunello is being discounted and has an average price of $84 based on Wine-searcher.com data. It should be noted, that save for Suckling on the ’06, both wines were reviewed consistently with scores in the low 90s.
• A global style
It’s interesting to note that Suckling’s tasting note for the Brunello called it, “…A wine with soul.” Meanwhile Antonio Galloni noted, “The sheer concentration and depth of fruit are remarkable, but ultimately this comes across as a heavy, labored Brunello with limited finesse.”
So, which is it? Is it a soulful wine or one with limited finesse? The U.S. has the largest global appetite for Brunello with some reporting that upwards of 25% of all Brunelli produced is imported to the states. Given that, is the Luce Brunello made to appeal to more of a fruit-forward palate that is often found in the U.S., a style of wine that Wine Spectator and Suckling have lauded in the wake of Robert Parker, the so-called, global style?
Summary
I’ll save the full review of the wine for my Forbes.com column…in the meantime, I’m reminded that the conversations about the people, personalities, ideas and issues in the wine world are often as interesting as what’s in the glass and that’s certainly the case with the 2006 Luce della Vite Brunello di Montalcino, a 100-points for interest and conversational fodder and less for the actual wine. For me, that’s just perfect.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/perfection_in_a_bottle/
Clos Cantenac Clos de l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Oratoire Clos de Sarpe Clos des Jacobins Clos du Marquis
The Uber-Wealthy's Wine Industry
By all accounts the upper end of the wine industry in the United States ($25+ per bottle) is in full recovery from the retraction that occurred in 2008-2010. -Retailers in metropolitan areas report much more robust sales -Auction houses are...
Magrez Fombrauge Malartic Lagraviere Malescot St. Exupery Margaux Marojallia
Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008
Davis Bynum is a�venerable name in California Pinot Noir having made their reputation back when Joseph Swan was still with us. Founded in 1973, Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; from the now legendary�Rochioli Vineyard. And this heritage lives on even after the sale to [...]
Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/6sxRm_z4EEU/
Belgrave Bellefont Belcier Bellevue Mondotte Berliquet Beychevelle
Limited Releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle
Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington State?s founding winery with its roots dating back to the repeal of Prohibition. In 1976, Ste. Michelle built a French-style chateau in Woodinville, just northeast of Seattle. While all of Chateau Ste. Michelle?s vineyards are located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains, all of their white wines are [...]
Limited Releases from Chateau Ste. Michelle was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/vZgK-wfnc9M/
Pinot Noir Cabernet Sauvinon Wine and Cheese Wine Rack French Wine
Monday, August 29, 2011
A Little Competition Never Hurts!
That’s right – it’s time. The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition begins tomorrow. Nearly 100 international judges, more than 3,000 international wines. Who will take the gold? Keep coming back to find out more information about the 3-day event and watch for judges to be blogging and twittering in between judging!
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=60
La Conseillante La Couspaude La Croix de Beaucaillou La Croix du Casse La Fleur Cardinale
2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Class�
In this post you'll find an overview of the ratings of the 2007 St. Emilion Grand Cru Class� wines. We have gathered all ratings from Robert Parker, Decanter and Wine Spectator.
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/36/2007-st-emilion-grand-cru-classe/
Clos Cantenac Clos de l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Oratoire Clos de Sarpe Clos des Jacobins Clos du Marquis
Wine Word of the Week: Left bank
This week?s Wine Word of the Week is left bank. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Left bank is an expression for that part of the Bordeaux wine region that is on the left bank of the river Garonne. It includes, travelling down river, Graves, Sauternes, Barsac, Pessac-Leognan, Medoc, and all [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Left bank was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/t3xy_lsDruo/
Barde Haut Baronat Mouton Baron Philippe Batailley Beau Sejour Becot Beau Site
Tasting notes - Berlin Tasting
Here follows my tasting notes from The Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen.
No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux)
Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100.
No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany)
Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]
No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux)
Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100.
No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany)
Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/40/tasting-notes-berlin-tasting/
Cheval Blanc Cheval Blanc (Bin Soiled) Cheval Blanc (Damaged Label) Cissac Citran
Value Alert: 2007 Ruffino Modus
Italian wine - Buy 6 or more bottles and get 50% off shipping with code "grape70"A couple weeks ago we were discussing a $25 wine Spectator rated 97 points - the 2009 Carlisle Sonoma County Syrah. After appearing in a Wine Spectator Insider email, the wine evaporated from the market as quickly as any I've ever seen. Sometimes it's like that - where a rating comes out of nowhere and the wine has been on the market for a while. Other times the rating has been around for a long time before the wine comes to market. That's been the case with the 2007 Ruffino Modus Toscana.
The wine ended up with a respectable showing finishing in the Top 25. When a wine has favorable QPR metrics but then ends up not making their Top 100 list it makes me think it didn't show very well when tasted across a wider audience. I liked the 2007 BV Tapestry (93WS/$50) and thought for sure it would make the Top 10. No such luck - it didn't make the Top 100.
The point chasing wine deal hound market hasn't received the 2007 Modus with the kind of enthusiasm the Carlisle garnered. I have a few theories why:
- The 96 point rating the Modus received kind of came out of nowhere. They've been making the wine since 1997 and the best Spectator rating a prior vintage received was 91. It makes one wonder whether the bottle Suckling tasted got lucky.
- Speaking of Suckling the rating come out right around the time he was leaving the publication to start his own thing. There was also some conjecture Spectator wouldn't feature the wine favorably to bring attention to a wine he rated.
- No other major publication rated the wine as highly as Spectator - if they rated it at all. This lack of a second rating reinforced the concerns Spectator's 96 was a fluke. By the way, if the idea of having 2 or more major publications favorably rate a wine appeals to you check out the Wine Blue Book.
- The wine wasn't on the market when the rating dropped. After a while I kind of forgot about it and I think other deal hounds did too.
- The Modus is a much higher production wine. Scarcity makes people go a little nutso sometimes and what's more readily available is less precious. Perhaps there's just as much demand for the Modus but there's less supply for the Carlisle so the Carlisle is the hotter wine.
A couple weeks ago I tried the 2007 for the first time at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour stop in Boston. I thought it was quite nice but the context of 200 other wines it was hard to say for sure what it would really be like to drink a glass with a meal.
I got a chance to do just that La Famiglia Giorgio in the North End last week. We were in a bit of a hurry so table-top signage was effective in making our decision:
They poured each bottle through an aerating funnel into a decanter. Pretty nice treatment for what the waiter called one of the more expensive bottles. $46 at a restaurant is a very nice price point. And I thought the wine was great.
The wine is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot. Ruffino positions Modus as "modern interpretations of historical territory". I'll go along with that. Tons of fruit. Not austere at all. Some acidity. Nicely balanced. Call it 90-93 points?
I spotted the 2007 Modus for the first time at Costco in Waltham, MA yesterday. $22.89 (and no tax in MA). There were only 6 bottles in the bin and the cashier said they didn't have any backup:
Update: As 10:00 am Saturday morning Waltham is out of Modus. I hear they have 100 bottles in Danvers.
If you're in the area and interested in buying some it might be worth giving them a call or stopping in. If not there are plenty of retailers in the country that have it for a little more.
Strictly from a numbers perspective - 96 points for a Tuscan red you can buy for $25 vs. 97 points for a California Syrah that's nearly impossible to find at this point makes this Modus a no brainer for the point chaser. And all kidding aside I think it's a really nice wine for around $25.
Related Links:
CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher
Question of the Day: Why do you think the market reacted so differently to the 2007 Modus compared to the 2009 Carlisle?
Figeac Fleur de Gay Gazin Giscours Giscours Rare Signed Marie Jeanne
Wine-derful
Judges completed the first day of tasting the finest vintages the wine world has to offer at the 70th Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Stepping into the Millard Sheets Center for the Arts, where judging is taking place, the aroma is musky, flowery, fruity, nutty. Pretty powerful! Judges gather around round tables comparing [...]
Source: http://blogs.fairplex.com/blog/wine/?p=62
Langoa Barton Larcis Ducasse Larmande Larrivet Haut Brion Lascombes
Some Recent Michigan Wines with the Friday Night Regulars
Last week, I decided that it was high time to try some Michigan wines with the Friday night tasting group at the retail outlet in which I am gainfully employed. The bulk of the selections were from the 2 Lads Winery on the Old Mission Peninsula. Cornel Olivier and Chris Baldyga have established an impressive [...]
Ducru Beaucaillou Duhart Milon Duhart Milon Rothschild Exception de Quinault Ferriere
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Wine and Self Assurance
I fear I'm about to say something rude or inconsiderate (at least it feels that way), but I'm compelled to say it nonetheless. So forgive me. In perusing the cache of on-line wine media today I cam across an interesting...
Beaumont Beausejour Becot Beausejour Duffau Lagarrosse Bel Air Lalande de Pomerol Belair
End of an era: Gary Vaynerchuk quits daily wine videos
“You, with such a smaller part of me than you realize, we have changed the wine world.” That’s how Gary Vaynerchuk concluded what he said was his final wine video. (He had previously announced stepping down from his position at Wine Library.) I was once a guest on Wine Library TV, aka the “Thunder Show,” [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/Twcz4dLbjc0/
Pavie Pavie Decesse Pavie Macquin Pavillon Rouge du Margaux Pinot Noir
Massachusetts Lawmakers to Hear Testimony on Wine Direct Shipping, Tuesday, May 10th
Everyone once in a while I get an E-mail I've been waiting a long time for and knock out a blog post immediately. Just now I received this press release from Free the Grapes about an important hearing this coming Tuesday in Massachusetts.
MA HB 1029 would finally, mercifully, allow direct shipment of wine from out of state wineries to Massachusetts residents.
Here's a quick Q&A with Free the Grapes:
WWP: What would you suggest MA wine consumers do to right now to help MA HB 1029 pass and allow direct shipment from out-of-state wineries to MA consumers?
Free the Grapes: We encourage Massachusetts wine lovers to express their support of wine direct shipping in their state by sending letters to the committee?s leadership through our website. Next week we will update the distribution list beyond the committee to include all MA legislators, in order for us to broaden the message. http://capwiz.com/freegrapes/issues/alert/?alertid=34295506
WWP: If the bill passes, how long until direct shipments become a reality?
Free the Grapes: It?s too early to tell. Like in other states, the licensing parameters and common carrier approvals precede issuing winery licenses. To use Maryland as an example, the bill will be signed by the Governor next week on 5/10, but the comptroller?s office is prepping documents and regulations to meet the law?s effective date of 7/1/11. This is common.
WWP: Would the bill allow direct shipments from out of state retailers to MA consumers?
Free the Grapes: No. The bill allows for wine shipments from licensed wineries directly to Massachusetts consumers.
From the press release:
May 6, 2011, Napa, CA ? On Tuesday, May 10 the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure will hold a public hearing to discuss House Bill 1029. Passage of this bill would mark an end to the state?s archaic ban on wine shipments from licensed wineries directly to Massachusetts consumers, according to Free the Grapes!, the national coalition of consumers, wineries and retailers. www.freethegrapes.org
Hearing Details:
What: House Bill 1029
Who: Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011; 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Location: Massachusetts State House, Room A-1, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108
Bill Information: http://www.malegislature.gov/bills/187/house/h01029
HB 1029 conforms to the ruling Family Winemakers of California v. Jenkins, which was upheld by the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in January 2010. The lawsuit successfully challenged a 2006 Massachusetts statute banning winery-to-consumer shipments from wineries and wine companies producing more than 30,000 gallons per year, and who retain a wholesaler. The 30,000 gallon capacity cap was ruled to be discriminatory and the legislature was tasked with developing a remedy.
Introduced in February by Representative David M. Torrisi, HB 1029 is similar to the model direct shipping bill that is the foundation for statutes in the majority of U.S. states, providing legal, regulated direct shipping to consumers. Among other provisions, HB 1029 requires wineries to purchase a state-issued shipping license, to mark boxes as requiring an adult signature at delivery, and limits the quantity of wine shipped to individuals to 24 cases per year. The basis for HB 1029, the model direct shipping bill, was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and supported by the Federal Trade Commission.
Thirty-seven states and Washington D.C. ? but not Massachusetts ? allow licensed wineries to ship directly to consumers ? those states account for 83% of US wine consumption. Massachusetts is the seventh largest wine consumption state in the U.S. however it is one of 17 states that continue to ban winery-to-consumer direct shipments. Maryland Governor O?Malley is scheduled to sign House and Senate Bills later this month to allow winery direct shipping, which will make Maryland the 38th state to allow winery direct shipping.
MA HB 1029 would finally, mercifully, allow direct shipment of wine from out of state wineries to Massachusetts residents.
Here's a quick Q&A with Free the Grapes:
WWP: What would you suggest MA wine consumers do to right now to help MA HB 1029 pass and allow direct shipment from out-of-state wineries to MA consumers?
Free the Grapes: We encourage Massachusetts wine lovers to express their support of wine direct shipping in their state by sending letters to the committee?s leadership through our website. Next week we will update the distribution list beyond the committee to include all MA legislators, in order for us to broaden the message. http://capwiz.com/freegrapes/issues/alert/?alertid=34295506
WWP: If the bill passes, how long until direct shipments become a reality?
Free the Grapes: It?s too early to tell. Like in other states, the licensing parameters and common carrier approvals precede issuing winery licenses. To use Maryland as an example, the bill will be signed by the Governor next week on 5/10, but the comptroller?s office is prepping documents and regulations to meet the law?s effective date of 7/1/11. This is common.
WWP: Would the bill allow direct shipments from out of state retailers to MA consumers?
Free the Grapes: No. The bill allows for wine shipments from licensed wineries directly to Massachusetts consumers.
From the press release:
May 6, 2011, Napa, CA ? On Tuesday, May 10 the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure will hold a public hearing to discuss House Bill 1029. Passage of this bill would mark an end to the state?s archaic ban on wine shipments from licensed wineries directly to Massachusetts consumers, according to Free the Grapes!, the national coalition of consumers, wineries and retailers. www.freethegrapes.org
Hearing Details:
What: House Bill 1029
Who: Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure
When: Tuesday, May 10, 2011; 1:00 PM Eastern Time
Location: Massachusetts State House, Room A-1, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108
Bill Information: http://www.malegislature.gov/bills/187/house/h01029
HB 1029 conforms to the ruling Family Winemakers of California v. Jenkins, which was upheld by the 1st Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in January 2010. The lawsuit successfully challenged a 2006 Massachusetts statute banning winery-to-consumer shipments from wineries and wine companies producing more than 30,000 gallons per year, and who retain a wholesaler. The 30,000 gallon capacity cap was ruled to be discriminatory and the legislature was tasked with developing a remedy.
Introduced in February by Representative David M. Torrisi, HB 1029 is similar to the model direct shipping bill that is the foundation for statutes in the majority of U.S. states, providing legal, regulated direct shipping to consumers. Among other provisions, HB 1029 requires wineries to purchase a state-issued shipping license, to mark boxes as requiring an adult signature at delivery, and limits the quantity of wine shipped to individuals to 24 cases per year. The basis for HB 1029, the model direct shipping bill, was cited by the U.S. Supreme Court and supported by the Federal Trade Commission.
Thirty-seven states and Washington D.C. ? but not Massachusetts ? allow licensed wineries to ship directly to consumers ? those states account for 83% of US wine consumption. Massachusetts is the seventh largest wine consumption state in the U.S. however it is one of 17 states that continue to ban winery-to-consumer direct shipments. Maryland Governor O?Malley is scheduled to sign House and Senate Bills later this month to allow winery direct shipping, which will make Maryland the 38th state to allow winery direct shipping.
Bordeaux in a can, robots, BDX10, winery stores ? sipped and spit
SIPPED: keepin’ it klassy Forget screwcap or cork: a company has just been authorized to put Bordeaux in a can. That should solve their marketing problems to young people since it will now be easier to shotgun! SIPPED: robots again Robots, last seen in our 2006 threat-down, are again meancing the sommelier class with their [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/aKw4VSrzEns/
Larcis Ducasse Larmande Larrivet Haut Brion Lascombes Latour
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s June 25 Release ? Tasting Notes
When I realized the focus of June?s latest release is to be wines from Argentina, I was not overly thrilled, not that I don?t like the odd bottle of Argentinean wine now and then mind you, but drinking a flight had little appeal for me. However, much to my delight, I am able to report [...]
Gazin Giscours Giscours Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Gloria Gomerie
Wine and Self Assurance
I fear I'm about to say something rude or inconsiderate (at least it feels that way), but I'm compelled to say it nonetheless. So forgive me. In perusing the cache of on-line wine media today I cam across an interesting...
Nothing Says ?Wine Geek? Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers
A bargain at just $12. via Etsy Nothing Says ‘Wine Geek’ Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Nothing Says ‘Wine Geek’ Like Star Wars Bottle Stoppers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/28UDp8ePRwA/
Clos du Marquis Clos Dubreuil Clos l\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'Eglise Clos Puy Arnaud Corbin
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Did Twitter and Facebook kill (new) blogs?
After a panel at the recent Society of Wine Educators Conference, someone from the audience asked me if she should start a blog, specifically whether social media had eroded blogs to the point of being useless. Given the fast pace of change in the interwebs, are blogs redundant in an age of status updates? Blogging [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/Q29cYIPUkuw/
Bahans Haut Brion Barde Haut Baronat Mouton Baron Philippe Batailley Beau Sejour Becot
Thank You From the Bottom of My Heart
I’m sitting here in my new home office with a fresh perspective and a touch of the misties, as in misty-eyes.� Rich and I have been moved into the place for just over a month and it has made a huge difference in how we feel about things.� I now recognize that we were both [...]
Source: http://familylovewine.wordpress.com/2010/08/13/thank-you-from-the-bottom-of-my-heart/
Cheval Blanc Cheval Blanc (Bin Soiled) Cheval Blanc (Damaged Label) Cissac Citran
Tasting Report: 2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
We were able to track some down before things got too out of hand and I'm pleased to report the wine delivered. Kind of like when Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green said the Bears "are who we thought they were" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDAq5tyfk9E). Well, maybe not just like that but the point I'm trying to make is I had high expectations and the wine delivered in a big way.
Here are my notes...
2009 Failla Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir
$45 Release Price
13.9% Alcohol
550 Cases Produced
Another one of these California Pinot Noirs that charms with it's fruit-forward aromatics and ultimately satisfies for how clean and free of "off" notes it is. Pure. Something for everyone I think, with aromas of tart cherries, orange oil, and soft leather. Well balanced. Silky smooth on the palate with a beautiful finish without any strange aftertastes. Fantastic stuff.
Cellar Tracker
Wine-Searcher
93/100 WWP: Outstadning
Bottom Line
It might be hard to find this particular bottling but I'd definitely be interested in seeking out other Pinot Noirs from Failla. Especially the 2009s.
Check 'em out:
Failla Website
@faillawines
I'm compiling some thoughts and tasting notes for 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir (what the heck happened to that vintage?) and 2009 California Pinot Noir. Especially if you're interested in domestic Pinot Noir I'd love it if you subscribed to the site so we can keep in touch.
Question of the Day: Have you tasted Failla's wines? What did you think? What have you heard?
Tasting notes - Berlin Tasting
Here follows my tasting notes from The Berlin Tasting in Copenhagen.
No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux)
Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100.
No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany)
Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]
No. 1 - 2005 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Bordeaux)
Dark colour with intense smell of pencil, cigar, currant and spicy wood. It’s full-bodied, rich and concentrated but also with an upfront softness. 96/100.
No. 2 - 2004 Sassicaia (Tuscany)
Not so intense in the nose - a little cherry. The [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/40/tasting-notes-berlin-tasting/
Domaine Pierre Usseglio
I frequently participate in press-wine tastings in Copenhagen. Normally its about tasting the recent vintage or vintages from a particular wine producer - maybe with one or two older vintages. Nothing wrong with that. Its always the latest vintage that is going on the shelves and where the need for good press is welcomed.
But I [...]
But I [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/42/domaine-pierre-usseglio/
Gazin Giscours Giscours Rare Signed Marie Jeanne Gloria Gomerie
Inside the Bread: Whole Foods to Open New Location in Wellesley
After touring the new location as finishing touches were being applied this week I have a feeling Whole Foods loyalists will be pleased with the new location. And the store will likely attract shoppers who previously shopped primarily at conventional grocery stores. More on this in a moment, but first a little background about Whole Foods.
Bread & Circus
To understand Whole Foods' presence in the region we need to understand the history of the Bread & Circus chain they acquired in 1992. Whole Foods has grown through a combination of acquisition and organic growth - no pun intended - and Bread & Circus was one of their earliest purchases. Although the brand was retired long ago, stores in the region still pay homage to their Bread & Circus heritage. One of the first things I spotted in the new store was this stencil above the produce area:
The first Bread & Circus opened in Brookline in 1975. The Wellesley location opened in 1980 and over the years a total of six Bread & Circus stores operated in the region. They were somewhat similar to green line T stations in that they were situated in little pockets in neighborhoods as friendly little markets.
CEO: John Mackey
To understand Whole Foods you have to understand John Mackey. To understand Mackey you need to read two articles:
From around 2000 to 2005 I was a Whole Foods shareholder. I liked to invest in companies I was impressed with and each time I visited a Whole Foods location I saw long checkout lines and outstanding overall execution. Kind of like Chipotle these days.
Yahoo! Finance message boards were big at that time and I remember being impressed with the postings of one the forum's consistent contributors, "rahodeb". Rahodeb would bust out compound annual growth rate statistics (CAGR) and familiarity with Whole Foods expansion plans with incredible clarity and accuracy. Here's an example of a typical posting - someone should really compile these into a book. When someone would question whether Wal-Mart's expansion into organics would threaten Whole Foods, Rahodeb would fire back that it was instead Wal-Mart that should be concerned about Whole Foods. Rahodeb would spar just enough with "liberfar" and "hog152" to make you think they were a regular message board nut job meanwhile planting seeds of doubt if you should be so foolish as to short Whole Foods stock.
It turned out Rahodeb was none other than Whole Foods CEO John Mackey. Rahodeb was an anagram for his wife Deborah. Looking back I'm glad Mackey's identity was revealed. I'd developed an inferiority complex over my inability to delve into the details of a company the way Rahodeb did and it actually made me feel better when I learned it was the CEO posting anonymously.
Still a Good Investment?
The chart above shows the performance of Whole Foods Market stock (WFM) over the past 20 years. Their largest acquisition - of Wild Oats in 2007 - came right before a precipitous dip 2009. But the stock has bounced back remarkably well.
Is it a good time to buy Whole Foods stock? I think it depends on their ability to continue growing - both in terms of same store sales and in terms of new locations. When viewed through this lens it becomes clear why they'd move to this new, larger location. How could they possibly eek any more dollars out of the old location? The place was bursting at the seams and had to be constantly restocked.
Competition
When Wellesley-based Roche Bros moved to its snazzy new location across Linden Street, it demonstrated that a modern supermarket could indeed be shoehorned into landlocked Wellesley. I doubt Roche Bros had much direct impact on Whole Foods, but the disparity in spaciousness between the two stores become glaringly obvious. One would have to think Whole Foods real estate management had this in mind when the opportunity to move into the site formerly inhabited by Star Market presented itself.
Star Market's departure was mostly unlamented (the situation with Tian Fu kicked up far more controversy) and by displacing another store there is one less grocery store in town. But I've always felt like Whole Foods main national competitor is Trader Joe's. With locations in Needham and Framingham Trader Joe's would make a lot of people happy by opening in the space Whole Foods will vacate. I've heard rumblings it may be just as likely to become a Panera Bread.
Perhaps the real competitor hasn't arrived yet. Rochester New York-based Wegman's regularly appears near the top of Fortune's Best Places to Work list and is planning to open in Northborough, MA in October with rumors of additional stores in Westwood and Burlington over the next couple years.
I've always felt Whole Foods was uniquely positioned. Yes they have a lot of organic and natural foods but they sell food that's flat out delicious while maintaining standards I haven't seen other grocery stores come near matching. They've always said "It's about Whole Foods, not Holy Foods" (link).
Some might say it's more like "Whole Paycheck" but in my experience if you like the product assortment at Whole Foods their prices are as good or better than other stores.
New Wellesley Store Photo Tour
The main store entrance places you squarely in front of the produce section. It was 5 days before store opening so perishable items hadn't been stocked yet:
Just behind the produce is the seafood section - soon to be stocked with fresh catches from Pigeon Cove.
Behind Seafood is the Butcher Shop. I learned that the unique signage you see in Whole Foods locations are custom made for each location.
The location mixes rough-sawn signage with polished concrete floors. Very cool.
Dry aged steaks make their first appearance at a Whole Foods in Wellesley.
The cheese section is large as a percentage of the square footage of the store. It offers a combination of pre-packaged and hand-cut gourmet cheeses in an alcove similar to one at their Dedham location.
Baked breads are available as well as fresh-made pizzas available by the slice or whole pie to take out.
Coffee - just one part of one tiny aisle in the old location - finally gets respectable treatment:
A special feature near the adjacent little league fields is a take-out counter offering refreshments, gelato and coffee. Taking advantage of the store's adjacent to the ballfield location. Nice.
Here's what the take-out counter will look like from the outside:
Next to the take-out counter is a community room where cooking demonstrations will take place:
Whole Foods are starting to become more like restaurants than grocery stores. The prepared foods section is massive as a percentage of the store. I'm particularly looking forward to the burritos made to order...and the free Wi-Fi.
The salad bar/hot foods section looks to be as large as those found in larger Whole Foods locations.
Will The Old Location be Missed?
I have a feeling we'll look back on the old location much like we do the Bread & Circus brand: With nostalgia. But overall we'll be pleased with the changes. It was sometimes nice to be able to buzz through the tiny store and pick up things in a hurry. But when the store was crowded it was nearly impossible to navigate. Parking was challenging. Feast your eyes on all this beautiful free parking:
Although the new location isn't huge (26,000 square feet compared to around 60,000 at their Dedham location) the aisles are relatively wide. Kiddie carts are set to be available - another Wellesley Whole Foods first:
A small kids play area is near the registers and, I presume, where some tables are soon going to be for shoppers to eat prepared foods.
Conclusion
The opening of the Wellesley Whole Foods Market has been highly anticipated. I think people are really going to like it. If you haven't shopped at Whole Foods in the past I'd encourage you to give it a try. As I toured the store I got the sense I'll enjoy shopping here with my family for years to come. It's a nice space they've created and I'm looking forward to seeing the store with its shelves fully stocked and staffed.
The store is offering a sneak preview this Friday, August 19th, 2011 from 8 am to 6 pm. Click here for more information.
They're also holding a "bread breaking" ceremony at 7:30 am right before their 8:00 am grand opening on Monday August 22nd, 2011. The first 500 shoppers get a reusable Whole Foods shopping bag. More info on their website.
Wellesley doesn't allow wine to be sold at retail. Even if the town did allow it, the state currently allows a maximum three liquor licenses per retailer. Check here for a list of grocery stores in MA that do sell wine.
Check 'em Out:
Whole Foods Market Wellesley
442 Washington Street
Wellesley, MA
Hours: 7 am - 10 pm daily (except holidays)
@wfmwellesley
On Facebook
Further Reading from Casa Dwyer:
A Fresh Look at Wellesley's Whole Foods Market
Chauvin Cheval Blanc Cheval Blanc (Bin Soiled) Cheval Blanc (Damaged Label) Cissac
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